1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to lasers and more particularly to a phased laser array for generating a powerful laser beam.
2. State of Technology
EP Patent No. 0571126 published Nov. 24, 1993 for an apparatus and method for optical energy amplification using two-beam coupling provides the following information, xe2x80x9ca diffraction limited working beam at a given frequency is amplified without degrading its diffraction limited quality by diverting a minor portion of the beam as a probe beam, and amplifying the remaining portion of the working beam with a high power pump beam at a different wavelength.xe2x80x9d
U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,228 for a coherent beam combiner for a high power laser to C. Brent Dane and Lloyd A. Hackel issued May 7, 2002 provides the following information, xe2x80x9cA phase conjugate laser mirror employing Brillouin-enhanced four wave mixing allows multiple independent laser apertures to be phase locked producing an array of diffraction-limited beams with no piston phase errors. The beam combiner has application in laser and optical systems requiring high average power, high pulse energy, and low beam divergence.xe2x80x9d
Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. Applicants are providing this description, which includes drawings and examples of specific embodiments, to give a broad representation of the invention. Various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this description and by practice of the invention. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed and the invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
The present invention provides a system for generating a powerful laser beam. The system includes a first laser element and at least one additional laser element. There may be a few individual laser elements such as the first laser element and the at least one additional laser element or a large number of individual laser elements such as the few thousand individual laser elements illustrated by embodiments of the invention described in the detailed description of the invention. An injection system directs a first injection laser signal into the first laser element and directs an additional injection laser signal into the at least one additional laser element. The injection system produces a re-circulating (i.e., pump) beam within the first laser element and into the at least one additional laser element. An input system directs a first part of the reference laser beam into the first laser element and directs at least one reference laser beam into the first laser element and directs at least one additional part of the reference laser beam into the at least one additional laser element. An amplification and phase conjugation system amplifies and phase conjugates the first part of the reference laser beam and the at least one additional part of the reference laser beam, and produces a first amplified output laser beam emanating from the first laser element and at least one additional amplified output laser beam emanating from the at least one additional laser element. The amplification and phase conjugation system is operatively connected to or operatively integrated into the first laser element and the at least one additional laser element. An angular dispersing element causes the outputs to miss the input system. A combiner system combines all of the amplified laser beams including the first amplified output laser beam and the at least one additional amplified output laser beam into a powerful laser beam.
The system provides a method of generating a powerful and high quality (i.e., highly focusable) laser beam. A first laser element is provided. At least one additional laser element is provided. A first injection laser signal is injected into the first laser element. At least one additional injection laser signal is injected into the at least one additional laser element. This produces a re-circulating (i.e., pump) beam within the first laser element and within the at least one additional laser element. A first part of the reference laser beam is injected into the first laser element. At least one additional part of the reference laser beam is injected into the at least one additional laser element. The first part of the reference laser beam and the at least one additional part of the reference laser beam are amplified and phase conjugated producing a first amplified output laser beam emanating from the first laser element and an additional amplified output laser beam emanating from the at least one additional laser element. The first amplified output laser beam and the additional amplified output laser beam are combined together into the powerful laser beam.
The invention is susceptible to modifications and alternative forms. Specific embodiments are shown by way of example. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular forms disclosed. The invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.